For some, the sky's the limit, which also just happens to be the title of the book written by 12-year-old British skateboarder Sky Brown.
For others, itโs no stretch that big things appear ahead. Exhibit A: 7-foot-2 Denver Nuggets center Bol Bol and his roughly 7-8 wingspan.
So many potential stars in the making. So many stages for them to shine. One of the biggest will be this summer during the Tokyo Games, which were postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the time 2021 ends, a new crop of names will start to become even more familiar. So let's name-drop a few. (Sorry, Trevor Lawrence, youโre already too big of a name for this list.)
Sky Brown, skateboarding
Sky Brown, 11, celebrates after maxing out her time on her first run during the women's skateboard park qualifier round at the X Games in Minneapolis on Aug. 2, 2019.
Sky Brown, a skateboarding prodigy who has her sights locked on the Tokyo Games, turns 13 a few weeks before the opening ceremony as her sport makes its Olympic debut (along with sport climbing, karate and surfing).
Brown already has a doll made in her image and sponsors such as Nike.
In June, she posted a video on Instagram (770,000-plus followers) of a frightful crash during a training session.
Bol Bol, basketball
A forward/center for the Denver Nuggets and the son of the late Manute Bol, Bol Bol showed glimpses of his versatility inside the NBA bubble over the summer.
Bol Bol steal and stuff! ๐ค
โ NBA (@NBA) August 13, 2020
๐บ: ESPN pic.twitter.com/qYm99Uyild
He remains eligible for the rookie of the year award, with the favorites being Charlotte's LaMelo Ball (No. 3 pick overall), New York's Obi Toppin (No. 8) and Minnesota's Anthony Edwards (No. 1).
Iga Swiatek, tennis, Poland
Iga Swiatek poses with the French Open women's singles trophy on a rooftop with the Eiffel Tower in the background in Paris.
The 19-year-old who listens to Guns Nโ Roses before matches captured Polandโs first Grand Slam singles title when she won the French Open in October. Swiatek had never won a tour-level title until Roland Garros.
2020 Most Improved Player
โ WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) December 8, 2020
2020 Coach of the Year: Piotr @Sierzputowsky
2020 Fan Favorite
A look back at the heady numbers behind @iga_swiatek's history-making fortnight at Roland Garros: https://t.co/J4WmVCeDnw pic.twitter.com/8Su3iLcS4I
Stephanie Gilmore, surfer, Australia
Nicknamed โHappy Gilmore,โ seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore is well known on the surfing circuit.
Gilmore, who turns 33 on Jan. 29, will be among the medal favorites in Tokyo.
KeโBryan Hayes, baseball
The Pittsburgh Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes drives in two runs with a single to right field in a Sept. 18, 2020, game.
KeโBryan Hayes, third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates and a first-round pick in 2015, made his major league debut on Sept. 1 and showed his promise with a double and solo homer.
Congratulations @KeBryanHayes on being named N.L. Rookie of the Month for September! pic.twitter.com/efjnd8KuFa
โ Pirates (@Pirates) September 28, 2020
The rookie-of-the-year candidate is the son of longtime major leaguer Charlie Hayes.
In the AL, there's Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena, who remains eligible for rookie of the year. He earned the Babe Ruth award for the Most Valuable Player in the postseason after helping the Rays to the World Series.
Catarina Macario, soccer
The Brazilian-born Macario, a midfielder on the U.S. National Soccer Team, became a U.S. citizen this fall. That news coincided with a call to the training camp for the U.S. Womenโs National Team.
Officially a U.S. citizen! ๐บ๐ธ pic.twitter.com/SISH2nmTkP
โ Catarina Macario (@catarinamacario) October 9, 2020
Although the Stanford standout still needs to iron out her paperwork with FIFA to be eligible for Tokyo, thereโs optimism she could join the U.S. at the Olympics.
JoJo Earle, college football
The speedy Alabamaย wide receiver JoJo Earleย originally committed to LSU before joining an Alabama program that's well known for producing wideouts.
This season it's Heisman hopeful DeVonta Smith, who was named The Associated Press college football player of the year.
Alabama's DeVonta Smith (6) returns a punt for a touchdown against Arkansas on Dec. 12, 2020, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Alexis Lafreniรจre, hockey
Alexis Lafreniรจreย and Canada won the U20 Ice Hockey Worlds in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Jan. 5, 2020.
New York Rangersย forwardย Alexis Lafreniรจreย was the top pick in the NHL draft after a stellar stint in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Lafreniรจre was leading the league with 112 points (35 goals, 77 assists) in 52 games last season when play ended.
Kliment Kolesnikov, swimmer, Russian Federation
The backstroke extraordinaire counts Michael Phelps among his idols. Kolesnikov certainly has a knack for winning like Phelps, too, capturing six gold medals at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
Keyshawn Davis, boxer, U.S.
Keyshawn Davis of the United States, right, hits Andy Cruz of Cuba during their men's light welterweight boxing bout at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, on Aug. 2, 2019.
The top professional prospect on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team decided to wait so he could fight for a medal in '21. The athletic, speedy lightweight from Virginia is hoping to follow the career path of friend Shakur Stevenson, who won a pro title just three years after earning a silver medal in the Rio Games.
Yealimi Noh, golfer, U.S.
Raevyn Rogers, track and field, U.S.
The former University of Oregon standout showed her 800-meter speed down the stretch to earn silver at the 2019 world championships in Doha, Qatar.
Rogersย and fellow American Ajeรฉ Wilson (third in Doha) could put on quite a show at the Tokyo Games. But Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda will have something to say about it as the world champion.
Akiyo Noguchi, sport climbing, Japan
Essential Quality, racehorse
Jockey Luis Saez reacts aboard Essential Quality as they win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile horse race at Keeneland Race Course, Nov. 6, 2020, in Lexington, Ky.
One of the early favorites at the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The American gray/roan-colored colt captured the 2020 Breedersโ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.
